The issue this year is not whether Burt is better than Charlie or Gladys is better than Marie. This isn’t your normal “I’m voting for a Democrat.” versus “I’m voting for a Republican.” year. This isn’t Gore V Bush. Neither Al Gore nor George W. Bush wants the Republican candidate to win the Presidency this year. Donald Trump, the so-called “Republican,” trashed Republican John McCain and the entire Bush family, not just in his 2016 campaign, but every year since.
You can make a difference this year, and almost certainly is some specific campaigns. You can help to turn the Senate blue. If you live in a different state, you can probably only work for the candidate in your state (although you should see if you can help a Senate candidate from elsewhere.) But you can give money. And you can encourage others on Twitter or Facebook or other sites to make a contribution. Bernie Sanders proved conclusively that if American voters decide to vote for change, they can raise any amount of money, a dollar at a time, by joining millions of others. Below we’ll give you the Internet locations where you can simply click and go directly to the web site. You can find out how you can help or donate. These are races the People can win.
This year the issue is Democracy versus Neo-Fascism. Trump has lied so many times on major democratic issues, said that he will not agree to the results of the election. And, like Fascists of old, he has claimed falsely that those in government all over the country have rigged elections (with no evidence of that whatsoever), are criminals (with no proof) and said that the free press is “the enemy of the people. He has also tiptoed into mild Fascism by sending military or federal agents to states where governors have said they didn’t want federal troops. Some people were actually picked up off the streets by these paramilitary troops.
He has acted in this way at other times, that is, acted in secret. He had small children removed from their mothers for months at a time. In what is to them a foreign country. In some cases, it is alleged, the children were never reunited with their mothers at all. These things, as well as the monumental numbers of lies to the American public prove his intentions, if not yet his capacity, to be a dictatorial ruler. In addition the propaganda of his administration by Right Wing commentators and television personalities, are acts clearly reminiscent of Fascist leaders of old. Trump wants to be dictator, not President. He has said, before his swooning imbecilic, fans that he thinks it would be good if he were ruler beyond a next term, and that he would like to be able to do that.
In all of these actions he has been supported by the same kind of legislative body that supported dictators elsewhere. Mussolini was originally a Socialist. But later he founded the Italian Fascist Party. Why? Because the Socialists, for all the chaos that results from their concept of equality for everyone both political but also economnic, would never consider someone to remain leader without a vote. That is how Stalin became a dictator by creating a bastardized version of Communism, where he could say that he was “voted” to be the leader, which he could only because he eliminated all other parties. He then turned that party into a virtual Fascist organization, that made him dictator, as Hitler did, through feat. Franco took over a political party, made it Fascist nd ran it like his own family enterprise. In all these cases, anyone who dissented was at first detained. Later, dissenters were imprisoned. Finally, when all this did not stop even some small dissent, those who objected were summarily shot or hanged.
Of course, we are still far from there. If we elect a Democratic President, much of that political possibility will disappear. If we elect a Democratic House and Senate, much of the damage already done– corporate billionaire surrogates and regular lobbyists overturning decades of legislation, Republican/Fascist legislators at all levels being bought, even state Supreme Courts being bought–can be tossed out, in some cases prosecuted.
But to do anything we need to elect House and Senate members who will work for the people. Today, that means Democrats. it is unfortunate, but billionaires like the Koch Brothers and the Mercers and Adelsons, people who have literally given hundreds of millions to create a Right Wing Republican party–first tossing out all rational Republicans, especially and first, the moderates–then moved on to try to buy up all the state legislatures in the country.
They were successful in buying up many state legislatures. Many of those Republican state legislators became governors. And then there were those who became Senators, like Richard Shelby of Alabama, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jim Risch of Idaho, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Deb Fischer and Mike Johanns, Nebraska, Paul Laxalt of Nevada, Jesse Helms of North Carolina, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Joe Manchin (a Democrat) West Virginia, and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. Understand, those who took money early, are the ones who took big money later, and when Citizens United law broke the back of regulated funding…they could get millions and their donors could give almost unlimited amounts, and under the law, never be disclosed. Our experience says that those positions, in those states, whether the same people or their successors, are still being funded, if Republican (except Joe Manchin) by the same billionaire PACS.
So how can you help maintain Democracy? There are some Senate races that you can make a difference and by telling others, help to insure a win. These are states that are so close, because of Neo-Fascist (Republican) lies that they need help to push them over the line. Here are several, and their web sites.
Gary Peters of Michigan. The incumbent Senator and a man dedicated to keeping all Americans on health care insurance, and working to build the economy of Michigan, a Democrat who early on helped to take back the state from the likes of Rick Snyder and the billionaire-funded Right Wing Republican Party of Michigan. In a particularly typical Neo-Fascist approach, the Michigan Republicans have put up a Black candidate, not a long-time Republican, but one whom, they think, will give them some chance by trying to split the normally strong Black Democratic vote. Help Gary Peters fight this cynical approach. Go to: https://petersformichigan.com/
Doug Jones of Alabama. Don’t say he can’t win because he did win. He’s the incumbent and he is a strong candidate, if you are a Democrat or and Independent in Alabama. While Trump is winning by double digits in Alabama, Doug Jones, the incumbent Senator from Alabama, is in a dead heat (actually one point up, but who’s counting?) Here’s the web site. Money always helps. Go to: https://dougjones.com
Theresa Greenfield of Iowa. Theresa Greenfield is not a practiced politician but a successful businesswoman. She believes that Medicare should negotiate down the price of prescription drugs, that we should close tax loopholes for large corporations and secure and better access for all families to health care. She also has advocated, among other things, for better and more affordable provision of community colleges to help struggling families earn technical degrees and better paying occupations. She is ahead in the race against top Neo-Fascist Joni Ernst. For her web site go to: https://greenfieldforiowa.com/
Jon Ossof of Georgia. Not well known outside Georgia, Ossoff ran for Congress and almost won. He is a media executive and journalist, educated at the London School of Economics and Georgetown. He is in a dead heat with David Perdue, the incumbent and a man not terribly popular in Georgia and one who could blow the race at almost any minute. Ossoff could win this one with a push at the end. He has good funding but could use more for a strong finish that could be what is needed. For the Ossoff web site, go to: https://electjon.com/
Sara Gideon of Maine. Susan Collins has been vulnerable for a decade. But the Democrats have not been aggressive about it until now. This time is hugely important. This time the Right Wing Republicans can put the pressure on Collins to give in on life-and-death issues that she had been able to avoid, voting with Democrats many times in the past. Now, if she does not vote with Republicans, they will force her out. Sara Gideon is a solid Democrat with a long progressive history and a solid vote in the Senate for Progressive causes. She is in a virtual tossup with Collins, who has a slight advantage, mostly in name recognition. Gideon is leading in latest polls. She needs your help. Go to: https://saragideon.com/
Time to vote. Time to give.
The world could be a very different place if Donald Trump wins. If Joe Biden wins, it could also be a hugely different place. But you can make a difference between a back-and-forth fight in Congress, or a dominating Democratic Congress that will do what the House of Representatives did this last session–protect the people and advance strong populist/progressive agendas on health care and voting rights, and civil rights, including programs to change the make up of African-American communities back to places where children can sleep safely and play on the sidewalks with safety and their parents can find resources to help them start and own small businesses again. This is how you make cities and suburbs safe–with equity for all–the feeling that we are all included in opportunity, not just some of us.
Vote and encourage others to vote. But, if you can, donate as much as you can. The billionaires will spend whatever they are asked for. We need to do our best to have more, to finish strong, and win.